MADRID: Real Madrid ended a run of three league games without a win by beating Espanyol 3-1 to end their league season on Saturday, but Los Blancos’ victory was overshadowed by injury concerns over Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema ahead of the Champions League final.
Ronaldo failed to start the match despite being initially named in Carlo Ancelotti’s line-up as he pulled out in the warm up due to the recurrence of a thigh muscle problem that has troubled him in recent weeks.
Without their star man Madrid failed to get going in the first-half, but eventually went in front 26 minutes from time when Benzema played in Bale to register his first goal in a month.
However, Benzema also pulled up with a groin injury after making the goal and had to be replaced by Alvaro Morata.
The Spanish under-21 international made the most of possibly his last match at the Santiago Bernabeu as he rolled home Angel di Maria’s pass to make it 2-0 five minutes from time.
Pizzi briefly halved the deficit when he slotted home Sergio Garcia’s cross, but another lightening break from Di Maria saw the Argentine square for Morata to double his tally for the afternoon moments later. (Agencies)
